March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Abortion protester cleared > Woman at gynecologist’s office unclear on threat

BANGOR — Charges against an abortion protester who reportedly made a bomb threat while picketing outside a local gynecologist’s office last month have been dropped.

An unnamed witness to the alleged threat has since told authorities that she can’t be sure which of two men made the remark while picketing outside Dr. Vance Aloupis’ office at 792 State St. on Jan. 16. And though she heard the word “bomb,” the woman told the Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office in a written statement that she did not feel threatened.

“If she wasn’t sure, then we can’t prosecute,” said Mike Roberts, deputy district attorney. “She wasn’t comfortable pointing the finger at Mr. [Jeffrey] Harden or anyone else at having made the bomb threat because that’s not how she interpreted it.”

Harden, 35, of Hancock was scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 24 to face charges of making a false public statement or report and failing to sign a summons.

“I think it shows that they didn’t have a case against me to begin with,” said Harden, who wasn’t aware the charges had been dropped when he was contacted by the Bangor Daily News.

In discussing the incident, Harden said he recalled two women walking from the parking lot toward Aloupis’ office at about 11 a.m. that Thursday. The two women were about 50 feet from where Harden and Ed Gerrish of Stockton Springs were picketing when they noticed the men and two empty police cruisers parked nearby.

Police had responded to complaints about Harden’s truck being illegally parked on State Street, for facing oncoming traffic and for being too close to the driveway so as to obstruct the view of people trying to leave the doctor’s office. Harden refused to move his truck and was ticketed. When the women arrived, the two policemen who responded were inside the doctor’s office.

Harden said that as the women walked across the parking lot they seemed to hesitate upon seeing the picketers and police cars.

“They looked over at the cruisers and at us and looked concerned,” said Harden. “I figured they’d heard the news [about the Atlanta abortion clinic bombings earlier that morning] and I said, `I think there’s been a bomb scare.’ I didn’t mean right there. I was just trying to engage her in conversation and they looked concerned.”

Harden said one of the women yelled back, “What?” and he repeated louder, “I think there’s been a bomb scare. Abortion clinics are a dangerous place for you and your unborn child.”

Reflecting on the statements later, Harden said, “I’m not trying to sound numb or anything but I didn’t think it would be misunderstood at the time.”

The women then entered the clinic and the two officers came out about 15 minutes later, according to Harden. He said the officers simply warned him again about his parking and told him that if they received any more complaints they would have his truck towed.

It wasn’t until about an hour later that the officers were called back to the doctor’s office and approached Harden about the alleged bomb threat. Harden said he was surprised at the allegation and denied having said there was a bomb inside. After he was issued a summons for making a false public statement, Harden refused to sign the ticket, believing it would be tantamount to admitting he committed the offense.

Harden was then arrested for failing to sign the summons and spent two hours in jail before his mother bailed him out.

Both Roberts and District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said Harden won’t be prosecuted for failing to sign the summons because the arrest stems from the alleged bomb threat, which isn’t being prosecuted.

“It doesn’t seem fair” to prosecute Harden on that charge, said Roberts.

Despite failing to prosecute, Roberts defended the police and his office’s actions.

Given all the threats and bombings at abortion clinics around the country, the deputy district attorney said, “It would have been reckless for us not to interpret it that way [as a bomb threat].

“It would be like you going to a federal marshal before getting on a plane and saying, `I’ve got a bomb, ha, ha,”‘ said Roberts. “What do you think is going to happen? Of course we’re going to take that seriously. We can’t afford not to.”

Harden believes he is being harassed for his stand on abortion.

“If they were so concerned, why didn’t they evacuate the building?” he asked. “They stood guard in the parking lot and they escorted people to their cars at the end of the day, but they never evacuated the building.”

He also cited the city’s recent attempts at adopting picketing and parade ordinances, which he and other abortion rights activists have thus far effectively challenged in the courts.

“It just wasn’t doing what they wanted it to do and I think this was a way for them to get a scalp,” said Harden.

“I think people need to be freer to express themselves.”


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